Families of UK soldiers killed in Iraq file ICC suit against Blair government News
Families of UK soldiers killed in Iraq file ICC suit against Blair government

[JURIST] The families of ten British soldiers killed in Iraq announced Sunday that they are filing suit against Prime Minister Tony Blair's government in the International Criminal Court [official website] for war crimes. Their group, Military Families Against the War, had previously demanded a full public inquiry into the soldiers' deaths [JURIST report]. The alleged war crimes include the unlawful UK use of faulty cluster bombs [FAS backgrounder] and the destruction of essential power supplies which could affect hospitals and water. Blair's government has been harshly criticized over recently leaked documents [JURIST report] indicating that UK Attorney General, Lord Goldsmith, had reservations about going to war in Iraq which were never passed on to lawmakers or senior British military personnel. In the same documents Goldsmith had expressed concern about possible UK liability for Iraq war activities in the ICC. The Independent has local coverage.